Fence-clamp.



Patented. May 31, 1904.

WALTER o. innow, or sToonrroia,'cnnmoniun.

FENCE- -CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent. No. 761,595, dated May 31, 1904. Application filed December 7, 1903. Serial N0. 184,180. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER O. MATTESON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Clamps; and I do declare the following to been full, clear, and

exact description of thesame, such'as will enable others skilled in thev art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to clamps used to firmly join intersecting wires in constructing wire fences, gates, railings, ofiice-fronts, elevatorcages, &c. and it consists in the simple, effective, and inexpensive construction hereinafter set forth.

The object of my invention is to produce a fence-clamp which will securely hold the wires together and prevent them from becoming loose and sagging. 1

A further object is to produce a clamp by means of which three wires may be joined.

These objects I accomplish by means of the peculiar and advantageous construction hereinaftervfully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In order that my invention may be readily understood and easily carried into efiect, I

will now proceed, aided bythe accompanying drawings, fully to describe the same.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved fence-clamp when first made. Fig. 2 is aview showing the clampholding wires. Fig. 3 is a sectional end View showing clamp holding three wires. Fig.4 is a broken view of a wire-fence gate, showing clamps and brace. Fig. 5 shows the clamps with the lips partly bent over.

Similarfigures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

1 designates the vertical wire of the fence.

2 is the horizontal wire of the fence.

3 is the body of the clamp.

4 is a projecting lip on the clamp.

5 is another projecting lip, longer than the lip 4 and projecting at right anglestherefrom.

The mode of using my improved clamp is as follows: The clamps are set so that the wires 1 and 2 suitably fit in the partly-bent lips 4 and 5. With any suitable tool the said lips are bent clear together, so as to -entirely inclose said wires, and thus they are held firmly clamped. If a cross-fence is built, the hori- Zontal wires thereof may pass through the apertures 6, (see 7, Fig. 3,) and thus save the use of a fence-post at that point. Where a cross-brace wire is required, as in the construction of gates, said brace may be woven through the apertures 6 of the clamps at any desired angle. Thus the brace will be more effective and will not flap or sag. The adjacent side edges of the projecting lips 45 excentrally through the spacethat is, through a point equidistant from said side edge, which line would intersect opening 6-the line would extend at'an acute angle to each of the lips.

The lip 5 I construct longer than the lip 4, because of the fact that of the wires crossing each other one is naturally slightly out of the plane of. the other.

I particularly call attention to the fact that the lips of my clamps are both bent on the same side of the clamps, thus making the clamps more easily operated.

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction and relative arrangements of parts embraced in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exact understanding of the same. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myself to such specific construction and arrangement of parts, as such changes or modifications may-be made in practice as fairly fall within the scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A clamp comprising a body formed with an opening, and a pair of projecting lips the adjacent side edges of which extend at an an- 'gle to each other leaving a space therebetween,

said opening being disposed so as to be in alinement with a point lying equidistant from said side edges of the lips.

2. A clamp comprising an apertured body portion formed at its edges with apair of lips disposed at right angles to each other leaving a space therebetween, said aperture being disposed so as to be intersected by a line drawn therethrough, and through a point equidistant from said side edges of the lips and which line I extends at an acute angle to each of the lips. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WALTER-C. MATTESON. Witnesses:

PERCY S. WEBSTER, LENA VVILLIAMs. 

